Improvement in hasp-fastenings for fruit



dnied @Quinten me naar,

FRANCIS R. BAIRD, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

Letters Patent No. 99,620, dated February 8, 1870.

The Schedule referred to in'thesa Lettere Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it mag/[concern:

' Be it known that I, FRANCIS R. BAIRD, of Norfolk, in the county ot' Norfolk, and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HasIi-Fasteiings for Fruit-Boxes and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and. exact dei 'scription thereof, reference being' had tovthe accom'- Figure 3 is a vertical section ofA the front of the' same, giving a side .aiew of the hasp and spring-catch when the box is fastened.v

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the hasp. Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures. 4

It is desirable in fastenings for fruit-boxes to have some sort of lock which shall not be in the way when the boxes are closely packed together, so as to make them restuusteadil y upon one another or leave spaces between those which are .side by side; which lshall not be liable to be knocked oli' by handling; which shall keep the .box securely fastened, whatever its position may be or however roughly it may be moved; which shall readily be operated without the use of any sort of key; and, finally, which shall be simple in construction, durable, and cheap.

My invention has for its object such a fastening; and

1t consists in the combined hasp and spring-catch hereinafter more fully described.l l

Upon the centre of the inside of the top front rail A of a fruit-box, constructed in the usual fashion,

with a series of rails and openings between themat' the sides and ends, 1 secure the dat spiral spring B, made ofsuitable'wire, the inner end of which, C, is turned in a circle, of a size fit to receive the body of a screw which passes through it into said rail, the head of the -screw retaining the` spring in place.

This end vC is also secured by a staple, D, driven closely over a part of the spring, near theV end G.

The spring, passingaround its end O, in one'or more circles, bends downward alittle below the bottom of said rail, where itis turned at right angles opposite to its direction of greatest resistance, and forms a hook, E,vwhicl1 is the catch for the hasp.

A guide, F, fastened over the spring, near the bot- `toni ofthe inside of the rail serves to couiinesaid spring closely to said rail, but permits it to have a free lateral motion. i

All parts of this spring-catch are in the same vertical plane.

Upon the front centre ofthe top of the box G is secured the hasp H, of the form shown in fig. 4.

This hasp is made of suitable sheet-metal, is furnished with a hinge, Lnear its upper end, which end is provided with suitable holes for fastening, and at the lower end is bent at a right angle, and inthe part so bent has a slot, K and below said slot is rounded.

in form. l

'lhe upper end of this hasp is secured te the box wit-l1 screws or rivets in such a position as to bring the hinge upon and within the front 'upper corner ot' said top G, where a suitable recess is made to receive it. The distance from said hinge and the lower bent portion of the hasp is such that when the box is closed and the hasp is bent downward, the lower bent portion will pass under the rail A, and the slot K will engage with the catch E and fasten the` box.

In operation, the lid of the box is dropped into pince, the hasp pushed backward, the lower rounded portion of which presses the spring-catch forward, and passes behind it until the catch reaches the slot, when the spring forces the catch into said slot and-holds it fast.

To unlock the hasp, it is only necessary to move the catch-brward with the nger, until it is released from the slot, and then the' top of the. box may be raised.

Having thus fully described the nature and merits of my invention, p

What I claim as new, and desire to secure -by Letters Patent,ris n A The above-described hasp-astening, bent at right angles to fit under the edge ofthe slat, and furnished ywith a bevelled edge and slot tor-automatically securing it upon a single spring-fastening, secured upon the inside ofthe slat'.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, -this day of y 18 Witnesses: FRAN GIS R. BAIID.

J No. A. HEBREW,

S. P. MOORE. 

